Relearning Things
by obliviousworlds
Summary: "Have you not checked on him at all!" John has to take care of a sick Sam while Dean is stuck in traffic and is telling him what to do on the phone. Oneshot. Dean/20 Sam/16


"Hey dad... It's gonna be a while before I get back. I'm stuck in traffic."

John sighs as he listens to his oldest son on the phone. "Alright just be careful." He answers. He had sent Dean on a salt and burn about an hour away from where they were staying at and had expected him to be home sooner.

"Okay. Have you checked on Sammy?" Dean asks over the phone.

"Why would I need to check on Sammy?" John asks confused and glances up at the door leading to to bedroom in the motel. He hadn't heard him all day, but Sam kept to himself a lot these days.

"Jesus Dad...He's sick. Why do you think he didn't come with me? Have you not checked on him at all?"

John closes his eyes as his oldest drills him. This wasn't supposed to be happening. It was supposed to be the other way around.

"Never mind, just go in and check on him and-"

John waits a moment. "Dean?"

"I hear you honking your damn horn and if you don't stop I'm gonna shove my foot up your ass!" He hears Dean yell. He almost laughs before Dean comes back on the line.

"Listen dad just go and check on him and call me back. I have something I need to take care of!"

John laughs a little as he hangs up the phone. leave it to Dean to get in a fight in the middle of the interstate. He gets up and slowly makes his way to the bedroom to check on his youngest.

"Sammy?" He says softly.

Sam is curled up under the blanket sound asleep and John can instantly hear how congested he sounds. He walks over and places a hand on his forehead and frowns at all the heat coming off of him. He glances down at how Sam's wrapped himself up in the blankets and sheets and knows that he's overheated himself.

Sam weakly grabs at the blanket half asleep as John pulls it off of him and tosses it on the floor.

"Daaaaaaaad." Sam whines more awake and is desperately trying to get warm. He's already in a sweatshirt and is curled up around the sheets.

"Your burning up kiddo and staying wrapped up like that is going to make your fever worse." He hears his dad softly tell him.

Sam knew that. If Dean was there he would have taken away all the extra blankets a lot sooner.

"How'd you know?" Sam asks and coughs hard into his hand.

"Dean called and said he's stuck in traffic and that you were sick." John tells him and sits down on the bed next to him.

Sam gives a faint nod before trying to go back to sleep.

"Hey Sam? Stay with me for a minute. What have you taken today?"

"Dunno...Dean drugged me up." Sam whispers.

"You trust Dean to give you the right medicine?"

"Yes."

John knew that Dean would never try and hurt Sam by any means but the fact Sam didn't know what he was given kinda amused him to know he had so much faith in his brother. He sees a bottle of cold syrup on the night stand and picks it up and glances at it.

"Here sit up." John says as he pours a dose.

Sam manages to lean up on h is elbow and takes the little cap from his father and glances down at it then at the bottle before swallowing the liquid.

Right. Sam trusted Dean but not his own father.

John sighs and shakes his head as Sam lays back down. He really wished Dean was here.

It's almost as if Dean heard him because John's phone starts going off and when he looks at the caller ID he sees that it's Dean.

"Hey Dean." He says into the phone.

"Hey dad." Dean answers back.

"You get into a fight?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle."

John smirks.

"How's Sammy?"

John glances down at his youngest who's staring up at the ceiling, eyes glazed over.

"Sick. I gave him some more of that cold medicine."

"Okay good. Still got a fever?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. Here's what I need you to do dad..."

John wants to laugh at this mess. Here he is sitting on the bed with his sixteen year old son and is waiting for orders from his oldest on how to take care of him. John was supposed to be saying this stuff to Dean, not the other way around.

"Go wet a rag and place it on his forehead. Make sure it's cold. Now he won't like it and he'll probably whine but trust me, it'll help him." Dean explains.

"Alright. How do you know so much about this stuff?" John asks as he walks to the bathroom.

"Years of practice."

_Right_ John thinks as he wets the rag.

"I'll be home soon. Call me if he gets any worse." Dean finally says.

"Okay." John says and flips the phone shut and walks back into the bedroom and lays the rag across his youngest's forehead making him jump.

"Daad I'm already cold enough." Sam whines and reaches up to take the rag off.

John catches his hand before he gets there. "It's to help your fever." He says softly.

"uughh. Can I go back to sleep now?" Sam asks and glares up at him. "never mind It's to cold." He adds and coughs hard into his hand.

"You'll be better soon." John tells him before sitting back down and placing a hand on his head. Sam doesn't say anything, actually enjoying the comfort his father is giving him.

"I'm sorry I'm sick dad." Sam finally says and sniffs hard.

"It's not your fault. These things happen sometimes. I'm sorry I didn't know what to do..." John tells him and cards his fingers through his hair.

"'s okay. That's what Dean's for." Sam says and gives him a little smile.

"Yeah he's good at taking care of you." John says and smiles back.

He feels Sam nod and he looks down at him sadly.

"You okay dad?" Sam whispers.

John nods. "You just...you just look so much like your mother."

Sam gives him a sad smile back before a sudden wave of nausea hits him. He rolls over and retches into the tiny trashcan beside the bed. John reacts immediately and rubs his back until he's finished then goes and gets him a glass of water.

"Thanks dad." Sam rasps before taking slow sips out of the glass.

"Anything else I can do?"

"Nuh uh." Sam answers and leans against his father and sighs. He wants to feel comfort and at the moment his dad was the only one there to give it to him.

John smiles and wraps his arms around him and holds him. It's been a while since Sam has allowed his father to hold him and he was gonna take advantage of it.

"Awww."

John turns his head to see Dean standing in the doorway leaning against the door frame.

"Total chick flick moment." He adds and smiles.

John smirks and looks down at Sam who's fallen back asleep and is softly snoring.

"You can leave now dad. I've got it from here." Dean says and gives him a little smile and gently takes Sam from his hold and lays him back down.

"Easy Sammy. Shhhh your big brother's here now." Dean whispers when he feels Sam start to stir. Sam goes back to sleep and curls up next to him.

"Dean." John says.

Dean glances up at him.

"I'm so proud of you. I know I've put a lot on you ever since your mom...but you've done a great job." John explains before looking back down at Sam.

"Thanks dad...you did a good job too today you know." Dean tells him and smiles.

"Thanks."

It's silent for a moment.

"I think mom would be proud." Dean adds, giving him a sad smile.

_**Fin**_


End file.
